Plasma amino acid concentrations in elderly patients with protein energy malnutrition.
OBJECTIVE
to compare amino acid concentrations in healthy and malnourished elderly patients.


METHODS
plasma amino acid concentrations were examined in 24 men and women (80-100 years of age) with protein energy malnutrition (PEM) and compared with those of 44 healthy, similarly-aged controls. Plasma samples were determined by using cation exchange columns with ninhydrin detection in an high performance liquid chromatography system.


RESULTS
essential amino acid and non-essential amino acid plasma concentrations were significantly decreased in PEM (0.01 < P < 0.0001). Branched-chain amino acids and urea cycle amino acid plasma concentrations fell significantly (P < 0.0001). Plasma concentrations of alanine and glutamic acid + glutamine were also significantly reduced (P < 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
in underweight elderly patients, the plasma amino acid pattern reflects the severity of the metabolic disturbance.
Polge
A
A
Laboratoire de Biochimie, Service du Pr. Magnan de Bornier, Montpellier-Nîmes University Hospital Centre (CHU), France.
Bancel
E
E
Bellet
H
H
Strubel
D
D
Poirey
S
S
Peray
P
P
Carlet
C
C
Magnan de Bornier
B
B
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000409:Alanine / Q000097:blood; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000097:blood*; D000597:Amino Acids, Branched-Chain / Q000097:blood; D000601:Amino Acids, Essential / Q000097:blood; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005260:Female; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000097:blood; D005973:Glutamine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition / Q000097:blood*
D000596:Amino Acids; D000597:Amino Acids, Branched-Chain; D000601:Amino Acids, Essential; D005973:Glutamine; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D000409:Alanine